Chained
by TheLabyrith
Summary: Love and marriage come together. You can't have one without the other... Or... can you? (Au-ish story. And It's K-on so 'yuri" is a given. ;) Proper summary awaits...
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not, nor do I intend to, own K-On!

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**Prologue:**

(Omniscient Narrator)

"Yui-chan!" Mugi walked over excited friend as she stared at the results board for incoming first years. "Did Ui-chan pass?" she asked, Ritsu and Mio trailing behind her.

"Obviously." Ritsu stated matter-of-factly, shrugging when Yui faced them with a wide grin plastered in her face. "You see? That's her 'Ui passed guys!' face." The tawny-haired drummer waved her hands in front of her mockingly.

"Congratulations, Ui-chan." Mugi said, looking at the younger girl with a smile. Unlike her sister who's literally jumping with joy, she handles the current situation as every normal student would. Calm and collected, but still, she's obviously happy.

"Thank you, Mugi-san." She bowed gratefully. "Onee-chan, let's head home?" she asked, glancing at her older sister fondly. Yui kept a steady gaze at the results board, searching for something... or someone, perhaps... that only she knows. "Onee-chan?"

"I heard _she_ took the exam here too." Yui muttered, still looking at the papers stapled on the board. "Have you seen her name, Ui?" Ritsu raised an eyebrow, finding the statement weird for some reason. The younger Hirasawa frowned slightly but quickly changed it into a smile. Mugi noticed this although she chose not to pry on her reaction.

"No... I must have... overlooked it." Ui replied with a forced smile. Yui nodded thoughtfully but didn't tear her eyes from the results.

"Whose name was it?" Mio asked Ui, because Yui is apparently too busy finding the name.

"Well... uh..." the younger girl looked away, fidgeting with her fingers.

"Oi! Who are looking for?" Ritsu inquired curiously, sharply turning Yui around to face her.

"I'm looking for my wife." She answered distractedly, focusing her attention to the boards again. Her friends gaped at her, while Ui froze in her place. _Wife?_ They all thought confusedly.

"Geez, Yui!" Ritsu sighed after a moment of silence. "Nothing you say makes sense. You know that?"

Yui turned around to retort, "B-but... I really have a—" but was cut off immediately.

"Onee-chan!" Ui interrupted. "Let's go home." Yui stared confusedly at her sister for a moment before smiling widely.

"Okay~!" the airhead agreed, following her younger sister. "Hey, come on!" she called out to her friends who remained glued in their place for several seconds before responding to her voice.

"Yui sure is weird." Mio whispered to Mugi and Ritsu, smiling towards their brown-haired guitarist.

"Yeah." Ritsu agreed, nodding her head.

"You think she really was looking for her wife back there?" Mugi asked curiously, because somehow she felt that the nonsensical statement of their lead guitarist earlier sounded true.

"No! No! No~!" the amber-eyed drummer said co, running a hand through her hair. "It's just her usual nonsense Mugi." She explained rather tiredly, muttering things about her private being a klutz.

The blonde nodded, glancing towards the carefree girl. _But_ s_he looked so serious... _Mugi felt somewhat unconvinced. Still, she didn't bother to ask; instead she chose to let it slip... again.

"I-I... thought so too."

After that statement, their walk home went quiet, save for Yui's usual blabber. Her friends bid their goodbyes to the sisters once they arrived at their usual intersection. Yui, after her classmates walked away, started to animatedly tell Ui how the Light Music Club will blow the first years away at the freshmen reception program come this April. The younger girl just nods, occasionally making congratulatory remarks about the topic while Yui blush and hug her. It was a nice feeling.

"See Ui? That way Azusa-chan will join us." Ui stopped walking after her sister said that, staring at Yui like she had grown two heads. "Ui, are you okay?" she asked, turning around to face her.

"That's your purpose?" she scoffed, staring right back her older sister. Yui gaped at her cold tone uncomprehendingly. "I-I mean... i-is that the only reason you're going to... to impress the first year?" she bit her lip nervously before smiling.

"Well... yeah." Yui replied bluntly. "I want to spend more time with her, so I thought if we performed well she'll be convinced to join." She rubbed her neck sheepishly, turning on her heels to continue walking. Ui sighed before catching up to the airhead. She looked up the clear sky above them, recalling the first time she knew about her sister's secret.

* * *

_It was a beautiful sunset that painted the sky with red and orange hues, a picturesque background for a day in the park. Yui and Ui walked home hand in hand from a fun day, celebrating Yui's graduation from junior high school._

_ "__It was super fun, Ui!" chirped the older girl, squeezing her sister's hand excitedly._

_ "__It was." Ui replied, smiling back at her. They talked about anything and before they knew it, they have arrived home. Noticing the lights coming from the house, they assumed that their parents were home. Elated for their arrival, the sisters rushed inside, greeting the house with an animated tone._

_ "__We're home!" they said in unison, climbing up the stairs to where they thought their parents were waiting for them._

_Who they never expected to be there were two familiar faces staring at them from the couch. A man with dark hair and coal black eyes and a girl, about Ui's age, with her equally dark hair tied up in twin tails. Yui, grinned looking at the raven-haired girl._

_ "__Welcome back." A woman answered from the kitchen, she smiled at them gently. She has purplish dark hair and garnet eyes, possibly where the girl's eyes are from. "Rui-kun is out buying something and Yuki-chan is using the bathroom." She added, noticing the excitement and confusion in the girls' eyes._

_ "__Oh..." Yui sighed. "I thought we entered the wrong house." She laughed nervously, glancing at the somewhat irritated twin-tailed girl sitting on the couch with her parents. "Yahoo~!" she greeted happily._

_ "__Shut up." The girl grumbled, crossing her arms. Ui snapped her head to the girl's direction with a questioning stare. Her father looked at the girl with a warning look before the girl sighed and relented. "I mean... Hi." She smiled, an obviously forced one._

_ "__What brings you here?" the airhead asked cheerily, oblivious to Azusa's earlier behavior. "Ui look! Azusa-chan is here!" She hugged her sister tightly, but her eyes where focused on the dark-haired girl. _

_ "__Good, you girls are here!" their mother greeted from downstairs. She climbed up a second later and gave her daughters a welcoming hug. "Have you greeted Zachi-chan and Ayumu-kun?" she said with a smile towards the mentioned couple._

_ "__We did." The sisters answered, kissing their mother on the cheeks._

_ "__You've grown so much, girls." Ayumu answered, smiling warmly at them. "Yuki, I'm wondering... does Yui-chan know why we're here?" he nodded to their mother._

_ "__No... But she can understand." Their mother answered, looking at Yui who tilted her head in confusion. I knew this will come. Ui bit back her thoughts, eyeing the dark haired girl in front of her._

_ "__The food is ready!" Zachi announced from the kitchen. Yuki and Ayumu went to help her arrange the table, leaving the young girls alone. Yui glanced back and forth, from Ui to Azusa, perplexed by the staring contest they started._

_ "__Hey..." she put a hand on Ui's shoulder. "Mom said the food is ready. Ui... Azusa."_

_ "__Let's eat." Ui said in monotone, pulling her sister to the dining table, Azusa following behind them. Their father arrived unannounced and proceed to the kitchen. They sat near each other, facing their moms and their fathers sitting on both ends of the table._

_ "__Ittadakimasu!" they said altogether before savouring the dishes in front of them. They were all eating contentedly when Rui cleared his throat to get the attention of his daughters._

_ "__Yui... do you remember our trip when you were five?" her father said slowly, allowing Yui to ponder on his words. Azusa set her chopsticks down and looked away. The rest of the adults did the same, and suddenly the atmosphere became very tense. Ui's grip on her chopsticks tightened as she tried to calm her nerves, she got so tense all of the sudden._

_ "__Yes." Yui answered after a while, proceeding to eat her meal. "Why did you ask, dad?" she asked after swallowing a mouthful of rice. Her father looked at her, unable to utter a word._

_ "__Do you remember what you did on that trip, Yui-chan?" Ayumu asked gently, glancing at Azusa for a brief moment. Yui swallowed another bite before closing her eyes, pursing her lips and furrowing her brow thoughtfully. Zachi and Yuki looked at each other, smiling at Ui, who felt completely out of place._

_ "__Oh!" Yui chirped, breaking the stillness around her. "We were in a small building..." she tilted her head. "And she was with me then... Eto... Ano..." she shook her head slowly, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I'm sorry... I can't remember more than that." She resigned, laughing shyly before picking up her chopsticks once again._

_ "__Yui... It turned out you and Azusa entered a church." Zachi waivered, noticing the confusion on the brunettes' eyes. Ui was dumbfounded, realizing the implication of the woman's words. 'No, that's impossible.' She denied, biting down her lip nervously._

_ "__A church?" Yui repeated, as confused as ever._

_ "__Yes, a church. And in that country, young children are okay to marry." her father explained, finding it hard to make her oblivious daughter understand the situation. Azusa looked at the brown-haired girl impatiently, wondering why her parents have to drag her here just to explain that nonsense._

_ "__When you two enter the chapel, a priest was... conducting a wedding." Zachi said slowly while Yui nodded understandingly. "We thought it'll be cute. We let you repeat what the groom and the bride said." She paused, finally feeling Azusa's death glare from where she stood. "Then it turned out that was recognized as matrimonial vows..." she waivered when the brunette set down her chopsticks. _

_ "__So... Azusa-chan and me are married now?" Yui asked flatly, staring at her parents blankly. Yuki nodded, perceiving Yui's tone as a disappointed one._

_ "__Yes... although you can—"_

_ "__Okay." Yui shrugged, shoving mouthful of food in her mouth happily. Ui looked like she was about to burst by the redness of her face, seething but able to hold herself back because of respect. Azusa just looked at Yui stupidly but she was angry and irritated by the older Hirasawa's care free reaction. The adults in the table expressed different kinds of emotions. Zachi and Yuki were relieved but at the same time, bothered by Ui and Azusa's reactions and Yui's lack thereof._

_ "__What?" Ayumu asked, thinking he heard the girl wrong._

_ "__I said okay. I'm not against it." Yui said while smiling. "Azusa-chan is so cute~!" she grinned, cheeks tinting red. Azusa huffed indignantly but her flushed cheeks were so noticeable her parents chuckled at her reaction._

_ "__W-Well, I guess we can leave it at it is then?" Rui offered tentatively looking at his wife and friends for support._

_ "__I guess we could." Ayumu confirmed, smiling at her wife and Yuki. "But what about the plan?"_

_ "__We can do that in the future, it seems that Yui is fine with it, did Azusa-chan object?" Yuki asked, looking at Azusa._

_Azusa nodded, "I did, bu—" however she was cut off by her parents._

_ "__It's fine." Her father waved a dismissive hand. "She'll be okay with this, Yuki." He continued._

_ "__This settles it then!" Zachi clapped her hands happily. "I officially welcome you to our family, Yui-chan." She hugged the girl tightly, kissing her cheeks._

_ "__Thank you... Zachi-san." The brown-haired girl grinned._

_ "__Welcome Yui-chan." Ayumu smiled, patting the girls head lightly._

_ "__Thank you Ayumu-san." She bowed. Rui moved towards Azusa who stood up, instinctively bowing before him._

_ "__You're a good girl, Azusa." He smiled warmly. "Welcome to the family." He grinned at her warmly, when the twin-tailed girl blushed and bowed again._

_ "__Thank you, Hirasawa-san." She replied. Rui shook his head._

_ "__Don't call me that. I'm your father-in-law, call me dad." He flashed her one gentle smile._

_ "__I'm sorry... d-dad." Azusa tried again._

_ "__Welcome Azusa-chan! Call me mom, alright?" Yuki hugged her daughter-in-law tightly._

_ "__Thank you, mom." Azusa said while bowing._

_ "__Hey~!" Yui chirped; stealing the attention of her parents and making Azusa straightened from her previous position. "Can I call your parents, mom and dad too?" she asked excitedly but Azusa just ignored her. "Meanie~!" she whined._

_ "__Just ignore her Yui-chan." Zachi giggled. "And you can call us mom and dad, if you want." She grinned, laying her head on her husband's chest. Yui looked at Ayumu and received his enthusiastic approval. The room was filled with smiles, laughs and thanks as the night went on. _

_Ui just gaped as the happenings unfold in front of her. She didn't know this would happen; she didn't know why this happened. Her thought were swimming around her head and she can't think straight. One thing's for sure though... Her sister is married to Azusa. __And it's a fact she cannot change._

* * *

"Ui! Look the cat is so cute!" Yui's chipper voice snapped her out of her reverie as she glance at the direction her sister is pointing at. She smiled and nodded, looking at her sister who is humming a happy tune to herself.

_It has been years since that happened, I still can't believe it at all. _She gave Yui a side-way glance who, in turn, gave her a wide grin. _Onee-chan, you really do love her so much, there's no doubt in that._ Ui frowned but she hid it from her sister perfectly._ The real question is... _She closed her eyes, remembering the times when Azusa would completely deny Yui's presence and those times when she does recognize the brown-haired girl, would shove her away. She sighed, taking Yui's hands and squeezing it gently.

_When will she love you back?_


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Yellow~! I'm back! haha Sorry for the delay... I was... uh... busy. :) Notes at the end, a'ight? Read the fine print people.

**Disclaimer of a Fan: **I do not, nor do I intend to, own K-On! Everything belongs to their respective owners. Go Kakifly! Go!

**Disclaimer of a Writer: This is a work of fiction**. Any resemblance to events, places and persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

**COPYRIGHT © 2014 by TheLabyrinth. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.** No part of this story is to published, reproduced or copied in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written consent of the author, except where permitted by law. (read DoF)

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**Notes:** "This is when somebody's talking"

'On the phone or phone conversations'

"This is giving**emphasis **and/or _linger_ on spoken _**words**_."_  
_

_"Flashback of spoken words (verbatim)"_

_thoughts __of_ _people_

_This is giving_emphasis_ and/or _linger_ on thoughts._

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**Chapter 1**

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'No, you _will_ stay with her!' Azusa held the phone away from her ear, flinching at her father's loud opposition. She sighed, flopping down the sofa before rubbing her temple with her free hand. "Dad I can't..." she said with a resigned voice. This marriage thing is getting to her nerves and she had had enough of it. Azusa is not a plushie to be hugged, glomped or squeezed when the owner felt like it. She doesn't even have an owner, certainly not that no good airhead by the name of Yui. _I can't do this anymore. _She heard her father sighed, Azusa could practically see the man pinching the bridge of his nose.

'You can't do anything about it. You're married.' Then there it is: the root of all her misfortune, the marriage contract that her mother excitedly waved in her face a year ago. Back when she was leisurely lying in her bed, thinking about the assignment their teacher told them about. Her mother barged in her room with a white folder in hand. It contained her new I.D., with Yui's surname in place of hers. Filed and, though suspicious, approved. Her mother animatedly told her about a marriage contract and how Azusa should at least follow what was written in it. She was four when the contract was made. FOUR! Not even the legal age for entering elementary but apparently old enough to be wed. All she could do was sigh and agree on her parents' wishes blindly, it's not like she can do anything else about it. But now she realized she wanted to break free from the chain she shared with Yui. It's limiting their choices and their lives. Azusa fumbled with her wallet, searching for the very document she was ranting about. "This is just a piece of paper. We could just have a divorce─" She paused, feeling someone's gaze behind her back. "I'll call you later dad." She said hurriedly. She heard her father say something by she cut him off and faced the door.

She was met with a pair of brown orbs staring down at her questioningly. "I'm home." Yui greeted, walking towards the living room. Azusa raised an eyebrow, standing up from the couch, letting the document fall on the floor. "Welcome home." Azusa said with a flat voice. "Where are you going?" The brunette asked; her gaze focused on the crumpled piece of paper lying on the floor. Azusa picked it up hastily and stuffed it inside her wallet. "My room." She answered simply before walking away.

Yui frowned, staring at Azusa's back warily. She clutched her chest and inhaled a sharp breath._ This again._ She walked towards her room and opened the door. It was their daily routine since they were told to live together by their parents. And although she wished Azusa would talk to her more often that locking herself inside of her room, Yui knew better than to force the twin-tailed girl again. _She was already dragged into this marriage._ She sighed, removing her clothes to change. It had just been a week and she could already feel this relationship won't work. Azusa still believes they should not be together at all and she was getting tired of convincing her otherwise. Her efforts were deemed useless and as much as she would like them to get along, only the presence of their parents or Ui can do that and they're not around much. Azusa is also _pretending_ to like being around her then.

She stared at the floor blankly before putting on a loose t-shirt and baggy pants. _I tried, Azusa._ And it hurt more than anything to think the one you wanted to be with doesn't want to be with you at all, despite all your efforts. Yui blinked her watering eyes, looking at herself in front of the mirror._ Am I the only one willing to fight for this marriage? _With a sigh of complete resignation, she dialed at familiar number in her phone, the only person who knows how to comfort her at times like this. It took three rings before the receiver clicked. 'Oh, Yui. Why did you call?' the other line asked with a sluggish tone that made Yui question the person she was talking to. She held the phone in front of her and checked the number carefully. Confirming she dialed right, she tentatively spoke, "Are you alright Nodoka-chan? You seem sick." She heard Nodoka groan and she could hear the latter countdown to ten before answering her. 'I'm _not_ sick. Yui, do you know what time it is?' she heard the other line ask, her voice lace with slight irritation. Yui glanced at the clock on her bedside and nodded. "It's six in the evening." She relayed nonchalantly.

'In there, maybe. But here it's two in the morning. Heard that Yui-_chan_? TWO in _THE MORNING_.' Nodoka said while trying her hardest to control her temper. It's Yui after all, it's not like she could get mad at her airheaded...-ness. She sighed. 'Now what is it that's prompted you to call me at this hour?'

"I just want to talk to you, Nodoka-chan." She let out a forced chuckle.

'We both know that's a lie.' The other line said bluntly. Yui bit her lip at her friend's no-nonsense way of talking. It confused Yui on whether the straightforward attitude was just because of Nodoka was awakened in the middle of the night or it's just how the wine-haired girl talks. _Well, maybe it's the latter._ Either way, she knows that Nodoka already has an idea what they'll talk about that's why her excuse was easily rejected. 'Is this about your no good wife again?' Nodoka asked with a tired exhale. And she was right. Yui nodded but quickly realized that the receiver won't see it. "Yes. Well... Azusa's not a no good wife. That's mean Nodoka-chan.' Nodoka gave a patronizing agreement and ushered her to continue. "We live together now... S-Since the start of her high school. It's actually a week already." The brunette said shyly. Nodoka chuckled. 'Oh? So she didn't join the Elite Five?' She asked, Yui can practically see her smile one of her rarely seen playful smiles and she can't help but grin.

"You know how she hated being with me." Yui sad sadly, leaning against the wall of her room. "She won't join even if I beg her to." Yui eased herself down and sat cross-legged on the floor. She gazed up the bright crescent illuminating the night sky.

Yui heard the other line sigh. 'Maybe you're being too forceful around her... Tone your tactile side down.' Yui frowned. "How else would she know that I love her?" she asked with a hint of confusion. 'That's... _not_ the only sign of love Yui. Just give her what she wants... for now. Remember Yui, you can't worry about things like this too much.' Yui sighed as well. If only it was that easy, she would have done that a long time ago. She felt her eyes water again. Yui bit her lip to stop them from streaming down her face. "I-I'm always on the giving end. W-Why can't she just accept my feelings?" She inhaled sharply, shutting her eyes tight. 'Yui, you can't force yourself on others. Just relax okay. You'll figure out something about it.' At Nodoka's words, Yui tried to even out her breathing, and luckily she was successful enough to do it this time. She heard Nodoka let out a sigh of utter relief. "Hehe~ I'm sorry for worrying you." She said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck.

'Azusa needs her space Yui, give her some and maybe she'll learn to slowly be friends with you... Then rebuild your relationship from that.' Nodoka advised, her tone gentler than the first time. "When will you come back, Nodoka-chan?" Yui asked hopefully. Right then Nodoka smiled despite of herself. 'I'll be back before you know it.' She said calmly, but Yui can sense her friend's happiness. The brunette stood bold upright and yelled, "Really?" with her eyes wide in excitement. "That's good! Would you continue you're work on the student council? Should I let the other know about this? I bet the school will─" Nodoka's hearty chuckle cut her off. "Did I say something weird?"

'No, you didn't. Anyway, don't let the other know about this, okay. I want to keep this as our secret.' The other line said with a fond tone. Yui's excitement doubled: another secret! Now, she has two and she'll do her best to keep it as it is. Nodoka cleared her throat, using her habitual stoic tone back. 'Well, I'll try and get back to sleep okay? I hope I helped.' Before Yui can even ask if she was okay, Nodoka clicked the end button, leaving the former confused about her earlier behavior. She remembered what Nodoka said though, but she doesn't even know where to start.

Yui sighed and threw herself on her bed with a thud, burying her face on the soft pillow under her. _Space... What kind of space is Nodoka-chan talking about? _She sighed and thought about it for a while before an idea hit her. _I just should try to ignore then, people who ignore each other is said to have space between them. _She smiled to herself, maybe treating Azusa that way could create a space between them too. But, knowing about her inclination to hug Azusa whenever she saw her would be a great problem. Yui had to think of a way to teach herself on how to ignore the person she was used to hugging. Again, after a few moment of thinking, she came up with a way to do such. _I should treat her like a stranger then!_ She slapped her cheeks lightly, a determined look in her eyes.

Then there was a knock on the door, a forceful angry knock that Yui was used to. She left the mirror and walked towards the door. _Alright I give you your space, Azusa-chan._ She thought before opening the door.

Azusa stood dumbfounded in front of her, her face covered with confusion and something else... Worry perhaps? _This plan is already working! _Yui though giddily, but her expression remained flaccid. "Yes?" the brunette asked; her voice flat and indifferent. _I didn't even know how I did that! _Ware the thoughts in Yui's mind but her façade remained intact. Azusa opened her mouth to say something but her voice wouldn't come out. Yui chuckled, raising a hand to pat her head. The twin-tailed girl instinctively closed her eyes and waited for another bone crushing hug and a face rubbing against her hair, but none of it came. She slowly opened her eyes but was greeted by an empty room, Yui nowhere in sight. She blinked several times before following towards the kitchen.

"Come on now, Azusa-chan. Dinner is served." offered a grey-haired woman with a gentle smile. She is Tanizaki Minamo, whom they fondly call 'ba-chan, is their housekeeper and guardian when their parents aren't around. Azusa took a seat across Yui and inhaled the scent of her meal. "Ittadakimasu." She said with a smile towards the kind old lady. She happily chewed her hamburger steak and savor its taste. Azusa let Yui's earlier behavior slip through her mind as she focused on enjoying her meal in silence. Yui swallowed the last bit of her dinner and set her bowl down; eying Azusa with interest but her stare is still cold and distant.

Yui smiled. "Did you pass the test?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Azusa nodded, suspiciously glancing at the brunette. "Congratulations." Yui said before standing up. "'Ba-chan, the meal is awesome!" She hugged the grey-haired woman tightly before walking away from the table. Azusa was left alone as she continued to eat. Minamo sat down beside her, her gaze wary. "Is Yui-chan alright?" She asked. Azusa shrugged. "Seems like it." She sat down her bowl, her appetite suddenly faded.

"You should try to get along, Azusa-chan. Yui-chan's tying hard, don't you think?" She smiled at the twin-tailed girl gently. Azusa huffed. "I wish she'd stop then. It's no use. I will never be happy living with her." She said flatly before walking out of the room. Minamo sighed, gathering the plates and bowls before carefully putting them on the sink. She sighed. _Be careful what you wish for, Azusa-chan._

Azusa had just finished showering and was about to enter her room when she spotted Yui leaning against her door. Her irritation quickly built up and she glared at her sharply. Yui smiled at her coolly, her eyes alert and assessing. Azusa tightened her grip on the towel covering her body, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. "What do you want?" she asked grumpily.

Yui merely smiled. "Cheeky little girl." she sing-songed with delight, walking near the dumbstruck girl. She lifted her hands to remove the towel in her head, letting her wet raven locks curtain down her back. _She looks so cute. _Yui thought, a smile tugging on her lips, unaware of how intense her gaze is. Azusa averted her eyes from Yui's smoldering ones. Her heart picking up its speed, her breathing ragged. Yui tilted her chin up, forcing their eyes to meet. _What on earth?_ Azusa's eyes went wide. _Move! _She mentally screamed but her body went limp at Yui's touch. It was not until Yui let her chin go that she jumped away from Yui's touch and inhaled sharply. "What are you doing?" She asked with a shaky breath. The brunette gave her a disapproving frown but her eyes were glinting with unexplainable amusement. "Come on, Azusa. That's not the way you treat you should treat your wife." She said, smiling wryly... that is, in her point of view. Yui thought she was just copying the actor she saw on T.V. That man sure got the girl, even if she hated his guts, in the end. No harm in trying right?

Azusa growled; her eyes alight with annoyance. "You are not my wife." She spat, glaring. "You will never be." at her words, Yui's smile faded. _She still thinks that way._ _Well, so be it then._ _Why am I so affected by this when Azusa seem to be indifferent. _Yui stared at the younger girl for a moment before she felt something stab her chest at the latter's intense glare. _Do what you want then Azusa. _She relaxed under the thought, letting out a sigh. _I can't force my feelings on you. I should've listened to Nodoka-chan._ Azusa would never love her back no matter how much she tried. She stood up straight; her demeanor became resigned but frigid. Yui's eyes narrowed at the twin-tailed girl in front of her. Yui sighed mentally before an unfamiliar feeling fogged her mind. An urge to throw something...** forcefully**. She bit her lip hard, her hands clenching and unclenching on her sides. Yui's bracelet flashed the green light rapidly, raising a flag on her mind. _Calm down!_ She mentally berated herself, inhaling deep breaths. She looked at the shorter girl, her eyes dazed and clouded.

Though the action intimidated Azusa, she bravely walked pass Yui only to be stopped by the latter's hearty chuckle. "You don't have to remind me, Azusa." Yui's breathing suddenly evened out, a truly wry smile played at her lips. _You really didn't have to. _Azusa wrenched her arm from Yui's hold and glared at her, but the latter remained unfazed. "I'll never be your wife right? You just thought about that now?" She leaned close the twin-tailed girl once again, her breath tickling her reddening ear. "Lucky for you, I've also realized that _just_ a while ago." With an icy smile, Yui opened her door to her room. "Goodnight Azusa-_chan_." She bid closing the door silently, leaving Azusa alone to ponder on her words.

For some reason, Yui's words bothered her. She supposed she was merely surprised at her abrupt change in character. She entered her room in daze, changing into her pajamas robotically. _I don't know what happened, but I'm glad she'll finally stop hugging me. _She decided to let it pass again, thinking that she should focus on surviving another day in high school tomorrow... Little did she know, Yui decided that hugging her is just one of the many things she'll stop doing.

She was awaken by her alarm clock, the numbers seven, three and zero brightly flashing on the screen reminding her of the time. She scrambled out of her bed to brush her teeth and hastily changed into her uniform. _Great! I'm gonna be late!_ She mentally cursed before rushing out of her room. ""Ba-chan, I'll be going now!" She said, closing the door behind her. Azusa rushed towards school, running around frantically.

Azusa arrived just in time to see students fawning over five girls by the gate. _Them again? _She shrugged and went straight towards the locker rooms, ignoring the fuss she had witnessed. She quickly changed into her school shoes and slammed her locker door shut. Azusa turned around but was surprised when she bumped against another student causing her to fall on her rear, her bag falling from her hands. "Watch where you're going!" She yelled, rubbing her injured part. Azusa heard a nervous chuckle and was met by a pair of warm amber eyes. She inhaled, and swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry." said the girl with a rueful smile. "I'll get that for you. I'm Ritsu by the way." _Ritsu-sempai?! Why is this happening to me?_ She bit her lip and looked around, her breath hitched when she meet the Elite Five's stares. They were looking at her differently. Mio and Mugi gave her a warm smile like they always do. Ui gave just gave her a nod and Yui just stare at her unblinkingly, or maybe 'indifferently' would be a better description... Was there a tug on her chest at that thought? Above all else, the curious stares directed their way bothered her the most. They all seemed unfazed by this attention, why wouldn't they? It was a normal thing for the Elite Five, students who were admired and respected by the student body, to gain this kind of attention whenever they walk around the school.

She could hear the faint whisper of her fellow students. Along the lines of 'She's annoying! How can she bump Ritsu-sama like that?' or 'How dare she breathe the same air as the entire Elite Five?' or 'She's such an attention hog.' Azusa patience snapped and hands clenched into first, jumping on her feet. She gritted her teeth and whirled around to face the snide girls. "What _is_ your problem?" She yelled, glaring at the crowd. "She bumped me! And it's not my fault the rest of her friends tailed her!" She turned to face Ritsu, her face red with irritation and embarrassment. Azusa snatched her things from the girl and huffed. "I'll get this." She chucked everything inside her bag and marched off the scene.

Ritsu smiled. "_Who_ was that?" She asked her friends. The tawny-haired girl stared at the space Azusa left. "Nakano Azusa, class 1-3. She's my... _classmate _Ritsu-san." Ui replied, changing her shoes. She looked at Yui's smiling face and smiled back. "She's interesting." Ritsu muttered but Yui just gave her a noncommittal shrug. "Come on we'll be late." Mio said firmly. The rest of the Elite Five said nothing more and continued their walk towards their classrooms. Ritsu decided to stay for a while, her attention focused on the shiny keychain she just saw. She bent down to check the shiny material but was shocked to see a moderate-sized wallet attached to it. She stared at the red material curiously.

Her opened the wallet and looked through its content, feeling no remorse at all because she won't be stealing the money anyway. She just wanted to know who the owner is. And maybe hope that it belonged to the girl she bumped against a while ago. "She's cute." Ritsu muttered absent-mindedly, thinking about a certain twin-tailed girl earlier. Her eyes glinted with delight when she found an I.D inside. She tilted her head upon reading the name printed on it. "Hirasawa... Azusa?" She furrowed her brows, pursing her lips. _Is she related to private? _She remembered Ui introduction a while ago and Yui's sudden indifferent behavior. _I smell something fishy._ She grinned mischievously, checking the wallet further. She thought 'Nakano' is just Azusa's middle name until she unfolded a piece of paper neatly tucked on the side of the wallet.

Her eyes widened at the words written on the document. Ritsu stood up with a smug smile plastered in her face. "Class 1-3 eh?" She placed the paper back inside the wallet and put it inside her bag. The bell rang loudly signaling the start of class. Ritsu idly sauntered through the halls. "Time for a visit... Hirasawa-_san_."

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**E/N: **How about that? What'll happen next? Interesting enough? It's a well-deserved update, to say at least. It's been a month since I last updated anyway. The muse just got me and bam! Here's a chapter written midnight. Dang it! I have betrayed my partner! (I'm sorry, sis. I'll make it up next chapter. Aye, lass?) Comment or whatever... :D BTW. Thanks for waiting for this, even though I usually laze around, I managed to get one chapter down. (Only Nx more to got.) CURSE YOU ALGEBRA!

** Major Mike Powell III: **Order carried out, sir! Awaiting feedback.

All the others who took time to read this fic. A big thanks! Now, I shall sleep! (Finally!) Anyway, that'll be all. TL out! Cheerio!


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: **I am so back for more! Greetings to this story's readers! It's had been a month right? Well, it should be, otherwise I won't be updating this story. I kinda reflected that I can pretty much update every month. It's plausible... So here I am, updating! But, before anything else..._  
_

**Disclaimer of a Fan: **I do not, nor do I intend to, own K-On! Everything belongs to their respective owners. Go Kakifly and KyoAni! Go!

**Disclaimer of a Writer: This is a work of fiction**. Any resemblance to events, places and persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

**COPYRIGHT © 2014 by TheLabyrinth. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.** No part of this story is to published, reproduced or copied in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written consent of the author, except where permitted by law. (read DoF)

* * *

**Notes:**

"This is when somebody's talking"

'On the phone or phone conversations'

"This is giving**emphasis **and/or _linger_ on spoken _**words**_."_  
_

_"Flashback of spoken words (verbatim)"_

_thoughts __of_ _people_

_This is giving _emphasis_ and/or _linger_ on thoughts._

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**Chapter 2**

Azusa slumped on her desk, heaving a very deep sigh even if her teacher is standing in front. Her thoughts went back at the stunt she pulled off earlier that morning. Not only did she gathered the undivided attention of _all_ the Elite Five, she actually _bumped_ against one of them. And judging from the glares she had received at that moment, Azusa would be lucky if she can get out of the room without a scratch. _Goodbye peaceful high school life._ She frowned at the glares she was still getting. _Actually, goodbye life!_

"Azusa-chan." She lifted her head and stared at the brunette in front of her, only to regret ever doing so. She stared nonetheless, blinking repeatedly. "I'll melt if you'll keep that up." Ui said with a hint of amusement in her voice, fixing up her ponytail which earned sighs of adorations from their classmates.

_Why is our teacher letting the class fawn over Ui so openly? _She furrowed her eyebrows. _Well, at least one of them doesn't._ She darted her eyes at the puffy-haired girl in the front row who is busy writing. The said girl turned around and smiled at her, flashing a peace sign before turning back to her work. _What's that for Jun?_

Azusa groaned, crossing her arms. "I'll be dead if you keep _that_ up." She whispered back, pouting. The glares were piercing her entire being now. Ui is part of the Elite Five after all and the only junior to boot. She heard someone say it was because Ui is responsible, kind and gentle. She's beautiful too. _And she's Yui's sister._ Azusa grunted, annoyed once again. _Like I care._

"Can't I talk to my sister-in-law?" Ui asked with a hint of mischief in her voice. Azusa stiffened in her seat, looking around the room nervously. She heard Ui giggle.

"Someone might hear you. Do you really like to watch me die at a very young age?" she asked over-dramatically. The brown-haired girl shook her head, tapping her desk softly.

"Sorry." She sighed and Ui continued, "So, how are you Azusa-chan?" the brunette asked kindly. Azusa was taken aback. She never picture Ui to continue chatting while the teacher is in front, much less Ui chatting about trivial things like how she. Then again, their relationship improved in the past few years since their not-so-pleasant encounter. _It's nice to know she accepts me now. _She and Ui learned to get along over time but in exchange, her relation to her so-called _wife_ turned sour... and Azusa could see that it _will_ worsten.

"I'm... fine..." She managed to reply, unsure. Ui nodded without saying a word. Azusa didn't pay much attention to her teachers for the rest of the day. She slept and when she woke up, it's already time for home. Azusa fixed herself and gathered her things.

"Excuse me!" someone called excitedly and the ruckus of her classmates died down in an instant. Azusa lifted her gaze and saw a familiar grin sent her way. Her cheeks flustered unconsciously and she swallowed thickly. _What is she doing here?_ She looked around for Ui but the girl was not inside anymore.

"Ritsu-sama! What brought you to our room?" Her classmate asked dreamily. Ritsu just gave her a wink and the poor girl promptly fainted, but no one help her, since they were all too jealous of the attention she got. "I'm looking for Hira... I mean, Nakano-san!" She declared, entering the room. Azusa tried to ignore the stares she was getting and prayed that Ritsu won't see her. She quietly walked towards the back door when a hand on her shoulder stopped her dead in her tracks. _So much for being stealthy._"We should talk, Azusa." Ritsu grabbed her hand and lead her out of the room.

Azusa can practically hear her classmates' angry chatters until they were far enough not to hear it in earshot.

* * *

Yui caught a sight of Ritsu pulling Azusa behind her through the crowd that was surrounding her. The latter's face was red all over and it vehemently irritated the brunette. She had never seen Azusa that flustered before, not even when she was nagging her about table manners. What's between her and Ritsu all of a sudden?

"Yui-sama? Are you alright?" asked one of the girls around her. She blinked, refocusing her attention to the girl with light brown hair who asked. Yui raised her eyebrows in question. The girl smiled at her fondly, taking her aback. No one had smiled at her like that. No one except Nodoka. "You were frowning a while ago. That's not very Yui-like."

The brunette sighed, someone had noticed her reaction earlier. _I shouldn't overthink things_. She inhaled a calming breath and regulated her breathing. _Rit-chan doesn't know that we're married, so she's not at fault._ Yui forced a smile and prayed that the girl won't notice. "I just caught a glimpse of something, Hime-chan." The girl seemed delighted to be addressed by name, shown by her faint blush.

"You know me?" She asked. Yui nodded readily, throwing her a wide smile. "You're in my class right?" The brown-haired girl asked. Himeko nodded, smiling. "So it's normal that I know you." Yui stated proudly, before her smile turned to a toothy grin. "Anyway... where's my sweets everyone?" She asked the bunch of girls in front of her with a wide grin. They were all too happy to give her some; Yui is the only member of the Elite Five who never refuse gifts given to her. She is generous and kind towards them, and it is more than enough.

Yui grabbed the snacks offered to her excitedly, her grin widening. The gifts she received were more than enough to comfort her. Azusa is still by her side, sleeping and eating with her. They are still living together and Yui decided she can't ask for more than that._ Plus I got these sweets! I'm so happy!_ She grinned and gave each of her generous friends/fans her thank-you hugs before returning to the Elite Five Lounge with a bagful of sweets and tasty snacks.

* * *

Azusa let Ritsu pull her up the rooftop. When they stopped, Azusa's face is beet red from exhaustion. "What do you want to talk about sempai?" She said between pants.

Ritsu raised an eyebrow, narrowing her eyes at Azusa. Then tawny-haired girl grinned at her impishly with nonchalant wave the wallet. "I saw this after you bumped into me."

It was _her_ wallet. _No._ Azusa's face paled and she could hear Ritsu's satisfied chuckle. Azusa knew in that instant that Ritsu looked over the contents of her wallet, and that she already knew about her secret. Every proof the tawny-haired drummer needed was in that wallet and she doesn't know how to deny it when the fact is obvious.

_That's why she almost called out my legal surname earlier!_

She tried to pry it off Ritsu's grasp but the girl raised her hand away from Azusa's reach. "Guess what's inside?" Ritsu said with a mischievous smile, opening her wallet and fetching a piece of paper folded in four. The twin-tailed girl could feel her hands clamming up from nervousness as she watched Ritsu unfold the white material. She cleared her throat overdramatically, holding the paper up in the air.

"The high court of Irkutsk hereby awards this certificate of marriage to Azusa Nakano and Hirasawa Yui." Ritsu gave the very nervous Azusa a wide grin before pretending to prop her imaginary glasses up her nose. "All the matters above have undergone legal procedures and therefore apply to all laws. Any reservations and inquiries may be forwarded to the high court of Irkutsk. Signed: Atty. Arksov Tomovich."

"I-I can explain─" Ritsu raced her index finger and waved it from side to side. Accompanied with her sly smile, Azusa can only keep her mouth shut.

"All your personal I.D and even your student book have the same name written on it: Hirasawa Azusa." Ritsu's smile widened at the last two words. "Now I get it. Ui and Yui know you. That's why Ui hesitated when she said you're _just_ her classmate." She chuckled, shaking her head. Azusa averted her gaze and cursed Ritsu's sharpness. "You are married. Yet you still pretended you didn't know each other. That's interesting." She said with a click of her tongue. "Why?" Azusa backed away from her, averting her eyes.

"This is invasion of privacy, sempai." The twin-tailed girl said, but not without a stutter. "Please give me back my wallet."

Ritsu shrugged, folding the paper back and returning it to its place inside Azusa's wallet. She called her name before tossing her the case. She managed to catch it, only to have Ritsu place her hands on her shoulders. "Say, Azusa..." She looked at the shorter girl from head to foot, chuckling lightly at the latter's discomfort. "Have you..." She trailed off then, but Azusa knew what she's pointing at exactly. Her malicious drift irritated Azusa to the bones.

A loud slap hit Ritsu's face before she even knew it, sending her face flying to the left, leaving her dazed and disoriented. When the tawny-haired girl steadied her footing, she found Azusa seething in front of her.

"We never did any of what you're thinking about! Now, leave me alone!" The younger girl snarled, her eyes narrowing dangerously at the very amused girl in front of her. The latter touched her cheeks and smiled toothily, eyeing Azusa with an amused gaze. "You didn't?" Ritsu mused, raising one eyebrow.

Azusa tilted her head, completely lost about what she's talking about. "What?" Ritsu stared at her, rubbing her reddening cheeks gingerly. The twin-tailed girl felt a pang of guilt in her chest for landing a palm on her senior's cheeks on their second time meeting but her irritation got the best of her, Ritsu's smug look is not helping her to calm down at all.

"You said you never did any of what I'm thinking of." Azusa gritted her teeth; the girl's meddlesome attitude is riling her up even more. Azusa spat, "What do you care about it anyway?! I'm out of he─"

Ritsu chuckled darkly. "Do you know what would happen when the student body hears about your secret, _Hirasawa_-san?" She asked in a threatening tone, Azusa halted her steps and went back to her place. Yui's school standing... her fans... Their rage when they hear about their idol's civil status. She heaved a very deep, resigned sigh. _My life will be at stake! _

The tawny-haired drummer grinned at her again. "You wouldn't want that now, would you?" Azusa shook her head timidly, realizing the she should beg the older girl instead of getting mad at her. "Okay, explain." Ritsu stated simply, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall. Azusa bit her lip, giving the older girl a hesitant gaze. The latter waved a hand dismissively. "I won't laugh or whatever. I promise."

Assured by her words, though she's not exactly sure how and why she was assured by Ritsu's casual guarantee that fast, Azusa then inhaled deeply before beginning her tale. "I suggest we take a seat." They did and she told Ritsu everything, no details left behind. Her secret is out, so might as well clear what's blurry and try to come on an agreement to keep it a secret.

After her story, Ritsu heaved a very deep sigh. "So let me get this straight. Both of you hated each other's faces." The tawny-haired looked at her, unconvinced for some reasons. "You, my dear Azusa, hated even the _mere_ thought of living with my private."

"_Your_ private?" Azusa asked curiously. "Yui?"

"Well, yeah... I'm her captain." Ritsu replied nonchalantly. "Anyway, you don't share the same bed because you wanted to get as far away from her as possible... And yet, despite all that, you're still living with her?" Ritsu looked at her for affirmation and she nodded. "Up until now? At this very moment?" Her senior asked again with a tone in between amusement and confusion. Azusa nodded again and Ritsu blew a raspberry in her way. "What on earth is that kind of marriage?" She looked at Azusa with an incredulous face.

"The I-Don't-Exactly-Want-This-Marriage type." Azusa sighed, shaking her head. "I insisted that we have different beds. I just don't want her hugging me until night-time; it's annoying enough to be glomped by her in day time." She looked at Ritsu with a tired expression. The latter let out a skeptical hum.

"If I was to ask around this school offer them to live or simply get that daily hugs from Yui-that _you _hate so much, mind you-what, in your opinion, would their reply be?" Ritsu asked, raising one eyebrow. Azusa can tell Ritsu had the answer already; she just wants to pry the answer off her to prove her wrong. The twin-tailed girl shrugged, feigning indifference.

"Of course they'd say yes." She replied, her eyebrows twitching at Ritsu's growing smirk.

The older girl hummed thoughtfully with an approving nod. "And why is that?" She asked, urging her to continue.

"W-Well, who wouldn't want to live with the famous Sweets Fairy? That girl eats everything offered to her, does she even chew her food?" she half-yelled, half-whined, annoyed by her own answer. As to why she was annoyed, Azusa didn't now. It's just that, the thought of _other_ people living with Yui simply irritates her... But it doesn't mean she wanted to live with Yui, at least, not under a marriage.

The tawny-haired chuckled, patting her head. "That would be you." She pointed out, stretching her cheeks. Azusa struggled to get her face away from Ritsu's abusive hands. She wouldn't have gotten away if the latter didn't let her go, but not with one last grin. "Now I know why Yui keeps on squeezing you. That pout of yours look absolutely adorable. Are you sure she hadn't attempted to kiss you?" Azusa flustered, averting her eyes. "Come on, Azusa... not even once?"

The twin-tailed girl thought for a moment, pursing her lips contemplatively. Ritsu kept her gaze on the raven-haired and grinned. _Yep, she's cute alright._

Ritsu tilted her head, why was she attracted to this little girl? Was it really just because she finds her interesting? Is there something more to it than that? Is there any other reason why she felt the need to get to know who Nakano... or Hirasawa rather, Azusa is?

The tawny-haired girl shook her head, which was starting to hurt from being too deep in thought. She's not really the internalizing type, even pulling Azusa on the rooftop was out of her sudden whims. For now, she'll settle on the assumption that she was just curious, and that's what urged her to do what she's doing now.

"S-She attempted, _and _failed, about four times, but all of it was just playful shots. She was never really serious about it, and I would usually shoo her off." She paused biting her lip nervously. Ritsu knew there was something more to it than that.

"Go on..." She urged gently.

"L-last night she tried a different strategy..."

Ritsu furrowed her eyebrows. "What, she held you against the wall and forced you?" She blurted, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. Azusa shook her head once again, her blush deepening as she gazed up the clouds thoughtfully.

"Her behavior towards me... _changed _all of a sudden. And I'm not sure if I like it."

"Huh?" Ritsu tilted her head in confusion.

Azusa sighed, a distant look visible in her eyes as if reliving what had happened. "Last night, she looked at me so intently I thought I'm gonna melt right then and there. She leaned in very close, normally too close for my comfort, but it's like my mind went blank in shock. It wasn't anything like her previous half-hearted attempt for a kiss. S-She was serious sempai." She shivered, hugging herself. "Yui could've kissed me that night."

_And I would've let her because my stubborn will suddenly vanished! _She furrowed her eyebrows, berating herself for her weak resolve.

"_But_ she didn't." The tawny-haired drummer chuckled lightly. Azusa agreed silently. _She could've done it anyways._ Ritsu chuckled again, this time, it's louder. "Then why are you acting like you're raped? You hate her that much?"

Azusa huffed, crossing her arms. "I don't, alright? I don't hate her..." She averted her gaze and sighed. "B-But I don't love her either. I'll tell you that." Ritsu grinned, nodding patronizingly, much to Azusa's chagrin. The latter huffed before her thought returned back on tracks. "You see... I just... don't know how to feel about all of these."

"All of what?" Ritsu asked, utterly confused which annoyed Azusa. _How can she forget what we're talking about? Is her attention span that short?! _She gazed at Ritsu's nervous laugh before sighing. How many time have she done that since morning? She couldn't count at all. _She's just like Yui._

"The marriage, Yui's change in attitude, the E5's attention earlier... my eminent doom. This is too much for me." She hit the back of her head against wall lightly.

The older girl threw her a sideways glance as she scrunched up her eyebrows thoughtfully. "Is that why you're avoiding Yui and Ui all this time?" She removed her head band before running a hand through her hair. Ritsu gave her a wink before replacing the yellow band on her hair. "Yes. I don't want unnecessary attention." Azusa replied, sighing shakily. _Did she really have to wink at me?_

Ritsu shook her head while chortling. "Just have a divorce!" She said matter-of-factly. It was the most logical solution in Ritsu's opinion but Azusa probably considers it otherwise. Azusa looked at her with a blank expression, as if the twin-tailed girl was shock to hear such words. Then she stood up, clutching her wallet like her life depended on it, throwing a glare at Ritsu's way.

Although Azusa had thought about it yesterday, even telling it to her father, Ritsu's suggestion was sudden and it doesn't really sound that well coming from other people's mouth.

"I respect that country's laws."

Other than that, she doesn't want to hurt Yui. Yes, she might ignore the brunette more often than not, but she still cared enough to wait for her arrival and eat with her every day. _Heck, I even agreed to live with her. Although... I only did that 'cause I felt like I don't have a choice then... _She pursed her lips. _But still..._

Azusa is not that mean, after all, Yui is still her childhood friend. The marriage is what she hates but it's not like being hug all the time always irritates her... only _most_ of the time but not _all_ the time. _Especially on winters. _She immediately wiped the unconscious smile in her face.

Ritsu nodded solemnly. "Okay then... Let's date." She grinned up at her junior innocently, as if what she said is the best solution she could muster. _How could she even say that with a happy face? _Azusa narrowed her eyes at the tawny-haired girl sitting in front of her. "What?" She was confused, yes, but her heart beat still raced in her chest at the thought of dating the older girl.

Ritsu stood up, dusting herself off before nonchalantly adding, "Since you mentioned about our fans skinning you alive because you went too close to us and you obviously don't want to be with Yui anyway... Be with me instead. She won't mind..." She paused looking at the younger girl briefly. "Probably." She muttered the last part, scratching her cheeks with her index finger.

"We can't... There are too many things at risk." She answered dejectedly. No matter how much she wanted to do it, there is just no way out the reality of their current situation._ What would my parents say when they know?_ Azusa sighed, sagging against the concrete wall.

Ritsu clicked her tongue before grinning wryly. "Are they bigger than the risk you'll take after I tell the student body about your little secret?" Azusa immediately straightened up and glared at the taller girl. _Is this blackmail? _Ritsu kept her grin, staring at her with an amused glint in her eyes. "Aside from that, I... kinda... _like_ you... so I'll protect you from harm."

Now Ritsu's shy and tentative smile with that nervous is way more effective than her faint-inducing grin, Azusa can prove that by how her heart literally skipped a beat. Her face flushed beet red and her knees felt like jelly. So much for controlling her emotions, now her body chose to show what she desperately tried to hide.

"L-Like me? What? This is... This is just the second time we've met!" And her mind joined her internal struggle. _Good now she'll think I'm a goofball like Yui. _

Why do her thoughts always end up with the absent-minded brunette getting involved?

Ritsu shrugged. "I do like you but I'm saying I'm not in love with you..." She stared at Azusa's flustered face and smirked. "Yet." She laughed when the twin-tailed girl just blinked at her, completely dazed and probably embarrassed by her implication. _Still interesting... And cute!_

Azusa thought for a second, weighting the pros and cons of Ritsu's logic. On one hand, wouldn't that be cheating? She and Yui are _married_ for gods' sake! She looked at Ritsu's patient smile and blushed again. _Why am I blushing?_ Then another fact hit her like a brick. Ritsu is part of the Elite Five! And if, she's saying that as tentative as possible, they are to date, she's not sure how the girl's fans would react about it. _They'll have my coffin ready._

They could keep it as a secret but for how long? Not only would she cheat on Yui, she would cheat on the whole school.

But, on the other hand, this is an opportunity to distract herself from the unwanted and forced situation she was in. This and whatever this decision will turn out to be are purely dependent on her choice, isn't this what she wanted? To have a choice.

Azusa gulped, before speaking. "A-Alright." She whispered, averting Ritsu's gaze.

"I'm sorry, what?" The taller girl inquired with a coy smile.

Azusa glared at her, crossing her arms defensively. "Don't pretend like you didn't hear me." She sighed.

_I'm really going to do this, aren't I? _Despite all logic telling her what she's about to do will complicate her life more, she still wants to do this. Honestly, since when did she start to care about her marriage anyway? It's not like Yui will know about it and if she did, she can't do anything about it. Azusa never wanted to be her wife in the first place so Yui can't dictate her life. It's not like the brunette is trying to.

In fact, Yui doesn't seem to mind at all... seeing as she's so busy talking to somebody else on the phone last night.

The tawny-haired girl laughed and pulled the younger girl under her arms, rustling the latter's hair after. "So we're dating now." She laughed, patting her head lightly. Azusa struggled against the choke hold and managed to escape, her hair is everywhere though and her blush is still eminent. "Was that necessary?" Ritsu grinned mischievously shaking her head no.

She held out her hand and flashed her signature grin that made Azusa reaffirm her growing infatuation towards the older girl. _I wish she's the one who married me instead. _Azusa thought with a frown, gazing up the tawny-haired girl. Ritsu cleared her throat to gain her attention. "I know a good... uh, _restaurant_. Wanna hang out for dinner?" She asked, rather shyly, before giving the younger girl a smile.

With a nod and a timid yes, they ran down the stairs and out the campus. Ritsu grinned widely as she pulled the younger girl along with delight._ That was supposed to be a joke but... Guess I'll keep her company._ She chuckled to herself, squeezing the younger girl's hand.

The tawny-haired girl looked at her with eyes that say she was the happiest person in the world. Azusa met her gaze and that made her decision final. Whatever happens in the future doesn't bother her anymore. Looking at those sincere ambers, she finally knew where she made the right choice...

Or so she thought.

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**End** **Note**: Reviews are highly encouraged! :D Now, it looks to me that _someone _is about to do something not appropriate... or maybe that's just me. hahaha :D See y'all next month! TL out! Cheerio!


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